Artificial eyelash and method of manufacturing an artificial eyelash

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises an artificial eylash, the artificial eyelash comprising an attachment portion wherein the attachment portion is elongate and flexible and comprises a first aspect and a second aspect, the first aspect for, in use attaching the artificial eyelash to a subject&#39;s eyelid, the eyelash further comprising a plurality of elongate lash portions, each lash portion comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the lash portions are attached to the second aspect of the attachment portion and wherein the attachment portion is homogeneously composed of an adhesive substance. The invention also comprises an artificial eyelash manufactured in according with a method comprising the following steps: providing a holder to hold the eyelash, said holder having one or more holding grooves along the outer circumference surface, applying adhesive to the holding grooves of the holder, whilst simultaneously rotating the holder, demounting the holder from the rotation means for further processing, and attaching one or more artificial eyelashes to the adhesive applied to the holding grooves.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of artificial eyelashes, in particular, the invention is in the field of disposable artificial eyelashes, in particular, the invention is in the field of single-use artificial eyelashes.

BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART

There is a wide variety of artificial eyelashes available to the public, many of which are pre-glued for immediate application to a subject's eyelid.

An example of the prior art can be seen in the pre-glued eyelash range made by Ennio Products incorporated at U.S. Pat. No. 6,308617. Here, there is a pre-glued eyelash with an adhesive attachment portion, wherein this portion comprises one or more central filaments, onto or around which is applied an adhesive, which can be pre-glued or applied by the user. The filaments have been a necessary component of the eyelid in that they have ensured that the eyelash attachment portion stays in a specific shape commensurate with the general shape of a user's eyelid. The filaments are used to add structure and rigidity to the eylid contacting portion of the eyelash, such that it retains a regular, defined crescent shape, but in so doing, they vitiate the possibilities of custom fitting the attachment portion to the user's eyelid.

From a manufacturing point of view, the production of an eyelash with an attachment portion comprising one or more filaments is imbued with a degree of complication which is not present in non-preglued eyelashes—you have to make the filaments, arrange the filaments in a desired formation, provide means of retaining the filaments in that formation, and then and then coat the filaments in either an adhesive material or a wrap which may then itself be coated in liquid adhesive.

There is a real need to reduce the complication inherent in in production and in so doing reduce the energy required to produce the eyelashes and therefore also the environmental impact of their production.

The product itself can be problematic for the user; filamented eyelashes are naturally only adhesive in part and that adhesive is often patchy in coverage—this can lead to eyelash displacement and eyelash loss at worst, but more generally leads to a short lifespan for the eyelash, which will in many cases be unsatisfactory.

Initial searching revealed the following further prior art documents:

US20110232666 comprises an attachment portion or mounting portion in two parts, with a bonding member 11 and a bendable portion 13. But with no filament—the bonding member itself is homogeneous in structure. The bonding member however does not have any intrinsic adhesive properties; at para 0044, the application mentions that the “adhesive means can be a glue or double-sided adhesive”—the adhesive is therefore dearly quite separate to portions 11 and 13.

WO2013/109102 comprises a series of integrally formed, single piece false eyelashes in which the false eyelash part and the attachment part are integrally formed by injection moulding.

At TW201306763 there is shown a single band attachment portion which is described as a “single band”. There is no mention of the band being intrinsically of adhesive in this document—instead, the band is coated with a “maintenance solution”—some form of skincare product.

At TW201313154 there is shown an attachment portion which is a single filament portion inside a sheath. The eyelashes are hot melted onto the attachment portion. There is no mention of any intrinsic adhesive property of the attachment portion.

None of the documents above addresses properly the issues pertaining to the well established single or multi-filament design.

It is to the problems described above that the invention attempts a solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises an artificial eyelash, the artificial eyelash comprising an attachment portion wherein the attachment portion is elongate and flexible and comprises a first aspect and a second aspect, the first aspect for, in use attaching the artificial eyelash to a subject's eyelid, the eyelash further comprising a plurality of elongate lash portions, each lash portion comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the lash portions are attached to the second aspect of the attachment portion and wherein the attachment portion is homogeneously composed of an adhesive substance.

An artificial eyelash with a homogeneous attachment portion is easier to customise because it is more flexible. By making the attachment portion itself out of adhesive, it simplifies the process of production and reduces the energy in production. Use of an adhesive substance without filaments cuts out several steps of manufacturing.

By providing an attachment portion of adhesive, problems of longevity, as well as the shifting or dropping off of the eyelashes, are substantially neutralised—the complete surface area of the attachment portion and in particular any given area of the attachment portion which is brought into contact with the user's eyelid are made of an adhesive material. This ensures a maximised surface area of adhesive contact with a user's eyelid.

Further, because the entire eyelash is made of adhesive and not just the surface coating, it does not lose its adhesive properties so readily.

Preferably, the lash portions are directly attached to the attachment portion.

More preferably, the lash portions are attached to the attachment portion via an elongate thread, and wherein the lash portions are substantially perpendicularly disposed to both the elongate thread and the attachment portion.

The provision of a thread allows the thread and lash portion to be detached from the adhesive portion. The adhesive portion is therefore replaceable.

Even more preferably, the proximal end of each lash portion comprises an eyelet and wherein the elongate thread runs through the eyelets.

This feature ensures that the lashes can be kept together, even when removed from contact with the adhesive portion.

Preferably, the attachment portion is ductile.

The ability to stretch the attachment portion into a longer string is useful in that it enables the user with a longer eyelid and may further allow for flexion into different steepnesses of curve—thus allowing for a variety of eyelid types to be matched and a variety of styles relative to the eyelids to be embellished.

Preferably, the attachment portion is made of adhesive gel.

The provision of a get provides the appropriate properties of flexion and deformability.

Preferably, the attachment portion is rounded in cross-section.

The rounded cross section is advantageous in that, in combination with the deformability of the attachment portion, it allows the user to easily define the size of the contact surface by deforming it onto the eyelid.

Preferably, the attachment portion is between 15 and 30 mm long.

This provides an appropriate range of lengths required by users.

The invention also comprises an artificial eyelash, substantially as described herein, with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the text and/or drawings. In a second broad, independent aspect, the invention comprises and artificial eyelash in accord with any of the foregoing paragraphs, manufactured in according with a method comprising the following steps; providing a holder to hold the eyelash, said holder having one or more holding grooves along the outer circumference surface, applying adhesive to the holding grooves of the holder, whilst simultaneously rotating the holder, demounting the holder from the rotation means for further processing, and attaching one or more artificial eyelashes to the adhesive applied to the holding grooves.

Preferably, there are two holding grooves formed along the outer circumference of each holder and wherein a first holding groove is located relative to the supply of adhesive and then adhesive is applied to the first holding groove and then the second holding groove is located relative to the supply of adhesive and then adhesive is applied to the second holding groove and wherein location of each of the two grooves is accomplished via the rotation of the holder.

Preferably, there are two holders and wherein each holder comprises an upper holder and a lower holder, the upper and the lower holder comprising a holding groove and means for attachment to one another and wherein the upper holder and the lower holder form a circle when they are attached to one another and wherein adhesive is applied to the holding groove of each respective holder in the following order, the first upper holder, first lower holder, second upper holder; and second lower holder.

The methods described above provide an energy efficient means of manufacturing the eyelash.

The invention also comprises an eyelash manufactured in accord with a method substantially described herein and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the text and/or drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a first eyelash of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a further diagrammatic side elevational view of a first eyelash of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a further diagrammatic side elevational view of a second eyelash of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an eyelash of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a second eyelash of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the artificial eyelash adhesive applying device of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a further side elevational view of the artificial eyelash adhesive applying device of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a further side elevational view of the artificial eyelash adhesive applying device of the invention;

FIGS. 8a and 8b are cross-sectional side views of the artificial eyelash adhesive applying device of the invention;

FIGS. 9-9 k a series of side elevational and cross-sectional side views of the jig and the sprayed adhesive of the invention;

FIG. 10 illustrates the sequence of the adhesive applying method of the invention;

FIG. 11 illustrates an additional stage of attaching the artificial eyelashes to the adhesive in the adhesive applying method of the invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates the sequence of the adhesive applying stage of the invention; and

FIG. 13 illustrates the sequences of the 1^(st) and the 2^(nd) applying stages of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

At FIG. 1, there is shown an artificial eyelash, indicated generally at 2. The eyelash comprises a plurality of lash portions. The lash portions 3 may, as in FIG. 4, comprise an elongate portion 4 and an eyelet 6 or may, as in FIG. 5, solely comprise elongate portion 4.

At FIG. 4, eyelet 6 is shown surrounding thread 8—a plurality of lash portions 3 are threaded linearly along the thread 8. Thread 8 may then be attached to adhesive portion 10. Thread 8 is flexible and made of a textile material such as cotton or nylon, Likewise, lash portions 2 are made of a textile or plastics material. In preferred embodiments, a combination of thread 8 and eyelet 6 are stuck to the adhesive portion 10. These parts are retained in place by the adhesion properties of adhesive portion 10 itself. As such the thread 8 and Lash portions 3 may be demounted from the adhesive attachment portion 10 by being pulled apart. The adhesive of attachment portion 10 is pressure sensitive.

In alternative embodiments, such as the one shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, there is no thread portion and the lash portions 3 are attached directly onto or into adhesive portion 10.

At FIGS. 4 and 5, it can be seen that the attachment portion 10 is 10-15 mm long and has a rounded cross-sectional profile. In preferred embodiments, it is made of an adhesive gel. The attachment portion has at Least two aspects, a first aspect 12 for attachment to the eyelid and a second aspect 14 for attachment to the lash portions. Because the attachment portion 10 is deformable, other aspects may be defined by the user. In particular, the attachment portion 10 may be extended longitudinally—the attachment portion 10 is notably ductile. The attachment portion 10 may come pre-moulded in a crescent shape, with the thread 8 arranged along its length. In this embodiment, adhesive portion 10 is resiliently deformable, but the resilience may be relatively easily overcome.

A kit of spare attachment portions may be provided, wherein there is a multiplicity of attachment portions. A thread 8 which is demounted from the adhesive portion 10 may be remounted on another attachment portion.

In all embodiments, adhesive portion is made solely, homogeneously of a single adhesive substance or compound. It has no threads running through it, comprising as it does appropriate properties of plasticity such that it can be stretched out to a different length to that which it is moulded originally—it is ductile.

A desirable implementation example of this invention is described below with reference to the attached diagrams.

This example does not restrict the scope of the rights of this invention but is presented simply as an example and can be modified in various ways within the criteria not deviating from its major technical specifications.

As illustrated at FIG. 6 the diagrams, the artificial eyelashes adhesive applying device 10 consists of a base frame 100, a moulding frame 200, a jig 300, a damp 400, a motor 500, an adhesive supplying unit 600 and a controller 700.

The moulding frame 200 is mounted on the base frame 100, for example on top of the base frame 100.

The jig 300 is located in front of the moulding frame 200 for the holders 20, formed with seat-base grooves 30 along the fan-shape outer circumference surface, to be fitted.

The clamp 400 is mounted on the moulding frame 200 to be rotated and to attach/detach the jig 300.

The motor 500 is mounted on the moulding frame 200 to rotate the damp 400 and it can generate the rotating power to turn the damp 400 in one direction or in both directions, and it is desirable to convey the rotating power through a reducer 510.

The adhesive supplying unit 600 is fitted to spray and apply the adhesive 400 to the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20.

The controller 700 controls the motor 500 to rotate the jig 300 and the holder 20, and simultaneously controls the adhesive supplying unit 600 to apply the adhesive 40 to the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20.

The base frame 100 can be fixed in one place or easily moved by the wheels 900, and it goes without saying that the wheels 900 have brakes not illustrated to prevent the device from moving when the adhesive 40 is being applied.

The adhesive supplying unit 600 applies the adhesive 40 with round section along the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20, and since the adhesive 40 has no core within, it is glued to the arc-shaped artificial eyelashes in the same arc shape, thereby resolving the problem of the conventional adhesive with core which changes the shape of the arc-shaped artificial eyelashes by flattening them.

In addition, since the conventional core is not used, the cost is saved as a matter of course.

This adhesive supplying unit 600 is formed with a tank 610, a nozzle 620 and a supply hose 630.

The tank 610 is provided to mix and store the adhesive 40, including the adhesive 40 mixed in a separate mixer.

The nozzle 620 is located above the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20 to spray the adhesive 40, and the supply hose 630 is provided to supply the adhesive 40 from the tank 610 to the nozzle 620.

The adhesive supplying unit 600 supplies, by the controller 700, the adhesive 40 stored in the tank 610 through the supply hose 630 to the nozzle 620 for spraying.

A pump not illustrated is provided to spray the adhesive 40, stored in the tank 610, through the supply hose 630 and the nozzle 620, and this pump is also controlled by the controller 700.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, two seat-base grooves 30 are formed along the outer circumference of the holders 20, and these two seat-base grooves 30 are called the 1^(st) seat-base groove 32 and the 2^(nd) seat-base groove 34.

The moulding frame 200 has a carrier 800 that can move along the base frame 100.

This carrier 800 is formed with a guide rail 810, guide blocks 820 and a revolving cylinder 830.

The guide rail 810 is mounted on the base frame 100 and the guide blocks 820 are attached to the moulding frame 200 to move along the guide rail 810.

The revolving cylinder 830 is mounted on the base frame 100 to move the moulding frame 200 so that each seat-base groove 30 is moved to the tower section of the adhesive supplying unit 600.

It goes without saying that the revolving cylinder 830 is also controlled by the controller 700.

The 1st seat-base groove 32 and the 2nd seat-base groove 34 are moved one by one to the lower section of the adhesive supplying unit 600 by the carrier 800 to apply the adhesive 40.

Two lines of adhesive 40 are applied to one holder 20, and one of the adhesives 40 is attached to the artificial eyelashes and the other adhesive 40 can be used to for the is artificial eyelashes from which the glued adhesive 40 has been removed.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the jig 300 is attached/detached by two holders 20, and the two holders 20 are attached to the jig 300, with their outer circumferences formed in a circle.

The adhesive supplying unit 600 applies the adhesive 40 only to the seat-base groove 30 of each holder 20 by the controller 700.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, the adhesive applying method using this artificial eyelashes adhesive applying device 10 consists of the holder mounting stage S100, the jig attaching stage S200, the adhesive applying stage S300 and the jig detaching stage S400.

The holder mounting stage S100 is provided to hold the artificial eyelashes, and the holders 20 with the holding groove 30 along the outer circumference surface are fitted to the jig 300.

In the jig attaching stage S200, the jig 300 mounted with the holder 20 is attached to the clamp 400 that is provided on the moulding frame 200 to be rotated by the motor 500.

In the adhesive applying stage S300, the controller 700 rotates the jig 300 which in turn rotates the holder 20, and simultaneously controls the adhesive supplying unit 600 to apply the adhesive 40 to the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20.

In the jig detaching stage S400, the jig 300 mounted with the holders 20 applied with the adhesive 40 is detached from the damp 400, which completes the application of the adhesive 40.

Of course, as illustrated in FIG. 11, the artificial eyelashes attaching stage S500 can be added, wherein the artificial eyelashes 50 are attached to the adhesive 40 applied to the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders after the jig detaching stage S400.

In this stage, if the adhesive 40 applied to the holders 20 is to be used for refilling, the artificial eyelashes attaching stage S500 may be omitted, but if it is to be sold together with the artificial eyelashes 50, the artificial eyelashes attaching stage S500 can be included.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the adhesive applying stage S300 consists of the 1st location setting stage S310, the 1st applying stage S320, the 2nd location setting stage S330 and the 2nd applying stage S340.

First, two seat-base grooves 30 are formed along the outer circumference of each holder 20 and a carrier 800 is provided to move the moulding frame 200 mounted with the damp 400 and the motor 500.

In the 1st location setting stage S310, the controller 700 controls the carrier 800 to move one of the seat-base grooves 30 of the holders 20 to the lower section of the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 1st applying stage S320, the motor 500 rotates the damp 400 and the jig 300, which in turn rotate the holder 20, and simultaneously applies the adhesive 40 to the relevant seat-base groove 30 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 2nd location setting stage S330, the controller 700 controls the carrier 800 to move the other seat-base groove 30 of the holders 20 to the lower section of the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 2nd applying stage S340, the motor 500 rotates the damp 400 and the jig 300, which in turn rotate the holder 20, and simultaneously applies the adhesive 40 to the relevant seat-base groove 30 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

Here, the holders 20 in the 1st applying stage S320 and the 2nd applying stage S340 are rotated in the opposite direction of each other.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the 1st applying stage S320 consists of the 1st upper holder applying stage S321 and the 1st lower holder applying stage S322 while the 2nd applying stage S340 consists of the 2nd upper holder applying stage S341 and the 2nd lower holder applying stage S342.

First, the jig 300 is attached/detached with the holders 20, and the upper holder 22 and the lower holder 24 are attached and mounted on the jig 300, in a way that their outer circumference forms a circle.

In the 1st upper holder applying stage S321 of the 1st applying stage S320, the adhesive 40 is applied to one of the seat-base grooves 30 in the upper holder 22 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 1st lower holder applying stage S322 of the 1st applying stage S320, the adhesive 410 is applied to one of the seat-base grooves 30 in the lower holder 24 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 2nd upper holder applying stage S341 of the 2nd applying stage S340, the adhesive 410 is applied to the other seat-base groove 30 in the upper holder 22 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

In the 2nd lower holder applying stage S340 of the 2nd applying stage S340, the adhesive 410 is applied to the other seat-base groove 30 in the lower holder 24 from the adhesive supplying unit 600.

Therefore, the adhesive 40 can be applied successively to the two seat-base grooves 30 formed in the two holders 22, 24 respectively. 

1. An artificial eyelash, the artificial eyelash comprising: an attachment portion wherein the attachment portion is elongate and flexible and comprises a first aspect and a second aspect, the first aspect for, in use attaching the artificial eyelash to a subject's eyelid, the eyelash further comprising a plurality of elongate lash portions, each lash portion comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the lash portions are attached to the second aspect of the attachment portion and wherein the attachment portion is a homogeneous adhesive substance.
 2. An artificial eyelash, according to claim 1, wherein the lash portions are directly attached to the attachment portion.
 3. An artificial eyelash according to claim 1, further comprising an elongate thread, wherein the lash portions are attached to the attachment portion via said elongate thread, and wherein the lash portions are substantially perpendicularly disposed to both the elongate thread and the attachment portion.
 4. An artificial eyelash according to claim 3, wherein the proximal end of each lash portion comprises an eyelet and wherein the elongate thread runs through the eyelets.
 5. An artificial eyelash according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is ductile.
 6. An artificial eyelash according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is made of adhesive gel.
 7. An artificial eyelash according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portions is circular in cross-section.
 8. An artificial eyelash according to claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is between 15 and 30 mm long.
 9. (canceled)
 10. An artificial eyelash manufactured in accordance with a method comprising the following steps: providing a holder to hold the eyelash, said holder having one or more holding grooves along an outer circumferential surface, mounting the holder in rotation means, applying adhesive to the one or more holding grooves of the holder, whilst simultaneously rotating the holder, demounting the holder from the rotation means for further processing, and attaching one or more artificial eyelashes to the adhesive applied to the one or more holding grooves.
 11. An artificial eyelash manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 10, wherein there are two holding grooves formed along the outer circumference of the holder and wherein a first holding groove is located to receive a supply of adhesive from an adhesive supply unit, the method further comprising: applying the adhesive to the first holding groove; locating the second holding groove to receive a supply of adhesive; and applying the adhesive to the second holding groove, wherein location of each of the two grooves is accomplished via rotation of the holder.
 12. An artificial eyelash manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 10 further comprising providing a second holder, wherein each holder comprises an upper holder and a lower holder, the upper and the lower holder of each holder comprising a holding groove and an attachment portion; wherein the upper holder and the lower holder are attached to one another such that their outer circumferential surfaces form a circle and wherein adhesive is applied to the holding groove of each respective holder in the following order: first upper holder, first lower holder, second upper holder, and second lower holder.
 13. A method of manufacturing an artificial eyelash comprising: providing a holder to hold an artificial eyelash, the holder having one or more holding grooves along an outer circumferential surface of the holder; applying an adhesive to the one or more holding grooves of the holder, whilst simultaneously rotating the holder using rotation means; demounting the holder from the rotation means; and attaching one or more artificial eyelashes to the adhesive applied to the one or more holding grooves.
 14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising: providing two holding grooves along the outer circumference of the holder; locating a first holding groove relative to a supply of adhesive; applying adhesive to the first holding groove; locating a second holding groove relative to the supply of adhesive; and applying adhesive to the second holding groove; wherein locating of each of the two grooves is accomplished via the rotation of the holder.
 15. A method according to claim 13 further comprising: providing two holders, wherein each holder comprises an upper holder and a lower holder, the upper and the lower holder comprising a holding groove and means for attachment to one another; attaching the upper holder and the lower holder to form a circle; and applying adhesive to the holding groove of each respective holder in the following order: first upper holder, first lower holder, second upper holder; and second lower holder. 